Air conditioning apparatus



Dec. 30,1 41. R CANDQR 2,268,186

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed July 19, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l ROBE/P Z/V001? Dec. 30, 1941.- CANDOR 2,268,186

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed July 19,1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' 72 z @135 27' cymao e,

Dec. 30, 1941. CANDVQR 2,268,186

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed July 19, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 30, 1941 AIR. CONDITIONING APPARATUS Robert R. Candor, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation oi Delaware Application July 19, 1934, Serial No. 736,017

8 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration and more particularly to the conditioning of air in rooms and other enclosures. A

It is an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for conditioning air in a room or the like in such a manner that the necessity for providing drain pipes, water pipes, or the like in the walls or floor of the room is obviated, and in such a manner that only the usual energy supply lines are necessary.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a. preferred form of In practicing my invention, the air in the room H), for example, is to be conditioned. To

accomplish this, an evaporator or cooling element H is provided, and means for thermally contacting the air to be conditioned with the evaporator are provided. This means may take the form of a casing I2 having aninlet l3 for air to be conditioned and an outlet [4 for the conditioned air. The inlet l3 maytake air from the room, or from the outside, or both. A fan I5 is provided to circulate the air through the casing, and this fan cgnveniently may be driven by an electric motor Means for supplying cooling medium to the cooling unit or evaporator II are provided. This means may take the form of a refrigerant liquefying unit in refrigerant circulating relationship with the evaporator ll. The refrigerant liquetying unit may include a refrigerant translating device or compressor I! located in an insulated compartment l8 in the room. A heat dissipator I3 is located outside of the room and preferably adjacent the window 20. Means are provided for circulating a heat dissipating fluid between'the insulated compartment l8 and the heat dissipator It. In the form shown in Fig. 1 this may be accomplished by locating a refrigerant condenser 2|, with suitable vertical metal fins 2la, in the heat dissipator IS. The heat dissipating fluid, in this form being the refrigerant of the system,

is circulated or forced in compressed form from the compressor I! through the line 22 to the condenser 2|. The refrigerant condensed therein is gathered in the receiver 23 and flows through the line 24 back to the room and thus travels in a closed cycle. The propelling force for circulating the fluid to the exterior of the room and back again is derived from the driver of the compressor. A branch 25 is connected to the evaporator ll, an automatic expansion valve 26 being interposed. The valve 26 may be of the automatic type which feeds liquid refrigerant when the pressure is reduced in the evaporator below a. substantially constant pressure limit the valve The valve 29 may be similar to the valve 26 and may be throttled by a thermostatic bulb 3| similar to the bulb 21. The refrigerant evaporated in the evaporators II and 30 flows through the pipe 32 to the compressor I1.

The compressor l1 may be driven by a motor 33. A fan 34 is provided for blowing air over the condenser 2|, which air flows through the openings 35 and 36, in either direction, depending on the impelling force of the fan 34. The fan 34 may be driven by motor 36. Means may be provided for controlling the operation of the refrigerant liquefying unit and of the motordriven fan 34. Preferably this control is made responsive to conditions in the room II) by means of a thermostat, hygrostat or psychrometer 38. This control 38 may be provided with a switch which opens and closes the circuit to the motor 33 and the motor 35 simultaneously, so that the fan 34 and the refrigerant liquefying unit operate in conjunction.

Moisture is generally condensed on the evaporator I I from the air which'is being conditioned. Means are provided for discharging this moisture from the room. To this end, a drip pan 39- is provided to catch the moisture from the evaporator II. From this a drain pipe 40 leads to a pump 4| driven by the motor 33. The pump 4| discharges through a water pipe 42 to a sprayhead or other distributing means 43 which distributes the condensed moisture over the surface of the condenser 2| where the moisture is evaporated and is discharged into the atmosphere outside the room III. A basin 44 is provided to catch any excess moisture which may not be evaporated from the surface of the condenser 2 I, and this basin 44 may be of such extent that any moisture gathered therein eventually will evaporate into the atmosphere without overflow.

All of the lines or pipes leading from the air conditioning apparatus within the room I to the heat dissipator I9 conveniently may pass through the window 20 of the room. To this end a block 45 may be provided which may be secured on the window-sill 46 and which thus becomes in effect a new window-sill for the sash 41. The lines, wires, etc., which pass to the heat dissipator I9 may pass through the block 45.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2, a casing 50 is provided for the evaporator An air inlet 52 and an air outlet 53 are provided. The inlet 52 may receive air from th room, from the outside, or both. A fan 54, driven by a motor 55,

circulates air to be conditioned in thermal contact with the evaporator 5|.

A heat insulated compartment 56 is placed in the room, and in this compartment a. refrigerant liquefying unit is located which is in refrigerant circulating relationship with the evaporator 5|.

ant translating device or compressor 51 which discharges compressed refrigerant to the condenser 58. The condensed refrigerant filows through the pipe 59 and through an automatic expansion valve 60 to the evaporator 5I-, and the evaporated refrigerant returns through the pipe 6| to the compressor 51. The valve 60 may be similar to the valve 26 and may be controlled by' the thermostatic bulb 62 in the manner heretofore described with respect to valve 26.

A heat dissipator 63 is located outside of the room. Means are provided for circulating or forcing a heat dissipating fluid in thermal contact with the refrigerant liquefying unit and the dissipator 63. To this end the closed liquid or water circuit includes a water coil 64 from which water is circulated by the pump 65, by force derived from its driving motor, through the heat absorbing coil 66 to the heat dissipating coil 61.,

The water, after having discharged its heat to the outside atmosphere through the coil 61, returns through the pipe 68 to the coil 64. Thus the heat of liquefaction from the condenser 58, and any other heat generated by the refrigerant liquefying unit is transferred from the insulated compartment 56 through the heat dissipator 63 to the outside atmosphere. The pulleys of the compressor 51 and of the motor 11 may be provided with fan blades which cause a circulation The refrigerant liquefying unit may take the form of a refrigerother evaporating means 13 adjacent the condenser 61. Here the moisture is evaporated into the atmosphere outside the room 14, and any excess moisture is gathered into the basin 80 from which it may be evaporated by the wicks 8| without overflowing.

As in the case of the modification in Fig. 1,

'pipes, wires, etc., connecting the air conditioning apparatus in the room 14 with the heat dissipator 63 may pass through a block 82 secured to the sill 83 of the window 84.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, air to be conditioned for the room I00 is brought in thermal contact with an evaporator I0I. This is accomplished by circulating air from the inlet I02 to the outlet I03 by means of a fan I04 driven by a motor I05. The inlet I02 receives air from the room, outside or both. An automatic valve I06, controlled by a thermostatic bulb I01, maybe provided which is similar in construction and function to the valve 26.

A refrigerant liquefying unit is provided in refrigerant circulating relationship with the evaporator I0 I This unit conveniently may be located in the insulated compartment I08 located in the room I00. The unit may include a refrigerant translating device or compressor I09 which discharges compressed refrigerant to 'a'condenser H0. The condensed refrigerant is gathered in the receiver I I I from whence it flows to the valve I06 and evaporator IOI through the pipe H2. The evaporated refrigerant returns through the pipe II3 to the compressor I09. The compressor is driven by an electric motor I I4.

Means are provided for dissipating the heat generated in the refrigerant liquefying unit outside of the room. This may take the form'of instrumentalities for circulating or forcing a liquid in thermal contact with the various parts of the refrigerant liquefying unit and with the heat dissipator II5 located outside of the room. The liquid preferably is water which is circulated from u the condenser shell 6 by means of a pump I I1 driven by the motor H4. The water then circulates through the heat absorbing coil IIB from whence it flows through'the pipe II9 to a liquid evaporatiVe element I20. This element may take V the, refrigerant liquefying unit. Means are proture condensed on the evaporator 5| t6 the outside of the room. To this end a drip pan 15 discharges into a pump 16 driven by the motor 11, which also drives the compressor 51 and pump 65. The condensed moisture is discharged from the pump 16 through the pipe 11a to the sprayhead 18 in the heat dissipator 63. The sprayhead 18 discharges the moisture over a wick or vided for replenishing the liquid evaporated and this'may take the form of a large reservoir I24 placed in the return line I25. This reservoir I24 may be filled by a bucket or the like as it becomes empty. It is to be understood, however, that it may be automatically filled by a float controlled water inlet if a water supply is available. The pulleys of the compressor I 09 and motor I I4 may be provided with fan blades in.a manner similar to the motor 11 and compressor 51 of Fig. 2..

Means are provided for dissipating the moisture condensed on the evaporator IOI outside of the room. Thus a drain pan I26 discharges into a float chamber I21. Here a float controlled valve I28 controls the flow of excess liquid through the pipe I29 to the pump II1. Whenever the liquid in the chamber I21 rises above a predetermined limit, such excess liquid is discharged through the pipe I29 into the pump II1 from whence it is discharged along with the heat dissipating liquid through the coil H8 and pipe tus m the room Hi and the. heatdissipator n pass through the block i3l secured to the sill I32 of the window I33 in a manner similar to that heretofore described with respect to Figs. 1 and 2.

While the form of embodiment of the invention -as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form,

it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted; all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

, 1. Air conditioning apparatus for a room or the like comprising a refrigerant evaporator,

means for thermally contacting air to be conditioned for said room with said evaporator, a

refrigerant liquefying unit connected in refrig- I erant flow relationship with said evaporator, said refrigerant liquefying unit including a refrigerant translating device located in said room, a refrigerant condenser located outside said room and condensing refrigerant from said translating device, and means for dissipating heat from said translating device, said last nam'ed means utilizing a body of liquid refrigerant of substantially less than condenser pressure evaporating and discharging into said liquefying unit.

2. Air conditioning apparatus for a room or the like comprising a refrigerant evaporator, means for thermally contacting air to be conditioned for said room with said evaporator, a

refrigerant liquefying unit connected in refrigerant flow relationshipwith said evaporator, said refrigerant liquefying unit including a motor member and a refrigerant compressor member located in said room and a refrigerant condenser located outside said room and receiving refrigerant from said compressor memher, and means whereby liquid refrigerant flows in thermal contact with,at least one of said members and in refrigerant circulating and phase changing relationship with said condenser.

3. Air conditioning apparatus for a room or the like comprising a refrigerant evaporator, means for thermally contacting air to be conditioned for said room with said evaporator, a refrigerant liquefying unit connected in refrigerant flow relationship with said evaporator, said refrigerant liquefying unit including a refrigerant translating device located in said room, a refrigerant condenser located outside said room and condensing refrigerant from said translating .the like comprising a refrigerant evaporator,

means for thermally contacting air to be conditioned for said room with said ev'aporator, a refrigerant liquef-ying unit connected in refrigerant flow relationship with said evaporator, said refrigerant liquefying unit including a refrigerant translating device and a refrigerant condenser located in said room, a heat dissipatorf erant flow relationship with said evaporator, said unit including a refrigerant translating device. located in said room and a heat dissipating means located outside of said room, means to transfer moisture condensed on said evaporator to a spray-head located above said heat dissipating means, and means located below said heat dissipating means for collecting excess moisture which may not be evaporated by said heat dissipating means.

6. Air conditioning apparatus for a room or the like comprising a refrigerant evaporator, means for thermally contacting air to be conditioned for said room with saidevaporator, a refrigerant liquefying unit connected in refrigerant flow relationship with said evaporator, said unit including a refrigerant translating device located in said room and a heat dissipating means located outside of said room, and means to transfer moisture condensed on said evaporator to a spray-head located above said heat dissipating means.

7. Air conditioning .apparatus for a room or w the like comprising a refrigerant evaporator, means for thermally contacting air to be conditioned for said room with said evaporator, a refrigerant liquefying unit connected in refrigerant flow relationship with said evaporator, said refrigerant liquefying unit including a motor member and a refrigerant compressor member located in said room and a refrigerant condenser receiving refrigerant from said compressor member, and means whereby liquid refrigerant flows in thermal contact with at least one of said members and in refrigerant circulating and phase changing relationship with said condenser, said last named means including means for reducing the pressure of the liquid refrigerant which flows in thermal contact with said one member,

8. In combination; an evaporator; means flowing air to be conditioned over said evaporator; a refrigerant liquefying unit connected in refrigerant flow relationship with said evaporator; said liquefying unit comprising a motor member. a compressor member, and condensing means; means for flowing coolingwater in thermal exchange with said condenser; and means whereby liquid refrigerant flows in thermal contact w'ithat least one of said members and in phase changing relationship with'said condenser, said last named means including means for reducing the pressure of the liquid refrigerant which flows in thermal contact with said one member.

ROBERT R. CANDOR. 

